Cannoli

Cannoli: a crisp classic Italian pastry filled with a sweet and light ricotta cheese filling and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. A true vacation for your taste buds!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 10

Rest time 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings cannoli

Calories 255kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large Pot
Rolling Pin
Cannoli forms
Tongs

Ingredients

For the Shells:

2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
½ cup marsala wine (120mL)
2 large egg yolks reserve white for brushing
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

For the Filling:

32 ounces whole milk ricotta strained, (see notes) (900g)
1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips (60g)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

For the Dough:

Add the flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until broken up into small pieces, about 8 pulses. Add the egg yolks and marsala and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together, you can add more wine a tablespoon at a time if needed to bring the dough together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 3-4 minutes or until it forms a smooth and elastic dough. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for an hour. (You can make the filling while the dough is resting if assembling in the same day.)
Roll the rested tough to about ⅛-inch thick then cut into 4-inch circles. You can do this by hand or even use a pasta roller to create thin sheets. (If using a pasta maker start on 1 then keep rolling it through as you decrease the thickness until you get to the thinnest setting.) You can re-roll scraps if desired, but let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling out again.
Heat the oil in a larger pot over medium heat and place a deep-fry thermometer in the oil. The oil should be 360°F when you fry so keep an eye on the temperature and adjust heat as needed.
As the oil heats up, wrap the circles around your metal cannoli forms and use your finger to wipe some pf the reserved egg white where the ends will overlap, then press the ends together. (If you don't seal the cannoli well they will open up in the deep fryer.)
Fry the shells in batches for about two minutes or until deep golden brown. Use a spider or tongs to transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels and let the shells drain. Immediately and carefully remove the metal forms. I like to wear an oven mitt then grab the shell with a paper towel, hold it vertically so the tube is pointing down, and gently press the end of the form onto the wire rack to free it from the shell. Continue wrapping the forms with dough and frying. Let the shells cool completely on the wire rack before filling.

For the Filling:

Add the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, and cinnamon to a large bowl then stir together. Cover and chill filling for up to 1 day if not using immediately.
When ready to use, transfer to a piping bag, snip the tip off and fill the shells, then press more chocolate chips onto the ends and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Video

Notes

Make the ricotta filling while the dough rests. This will give the ricotta mixture time to chill before assembling the cannoli.
Draining the ricotta. Removing the extra moisture from the cheese gives the filling a smooth and light texture and helps keep the shells from getting soggy. To drain the ricotta, place it in a tightly woven cheesecloth and squeeze the moisture out (as pictured above) or spread the ricotta out on paper towels in a fine mesh strainer or on a dinner plate before patting the cheese down with additional paper towels.
Rolling the dough thin. To have delicately crispy shells, you will need to roll the dough thin, or to an ⅛-inch thickness. You can do this using a pasta machine or with a rolling pin.
Re-rolling the scraps of dough. If using the scraps of dough to roll additional cannolis, let them rest for 10-15 minutes before rolling out again to keep the dough from getting tough or chewy.
Keep an eye on the frying temperature of the oil. It is important to keep the oil at 360 degrees Fahrenheit while frying so the dough doesn’t burn or get soggy. Keep the frying thermometer in the pan throughout the frying process and adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature.
Variation options. Add delightful light citrus notes to the ricotta filling by stirring 1 teaspoon of fresh orange zest into it. Alternatively, dip the cannoli in chopped pistachios or chopped candied fruits for a crunchy or fruity finish.

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